A government watchdog released a report last week highlighting a significant shortage of U.S. Secret Service counter snipers and warning that top U.S. leaders, such as the president, could be placed at risk for “injury or assassination.”
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General report, which was released last Friday, comes after President Donald Trump was shot by a gunman during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July of 2024.
“On July 13, 2024, a Secret Service counter sniper shot and killed an individual who attempted to assassinate then-former President Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania,” the report stated. “CS is a specialized unit within the Secret Service that is composed of highly trained, precision marksmen who provide long-range observation and tactical support during the Secret Service’s protective operations.”
The government watchdog’s report noted that a review of the Secret Service’s counter sniper team was conducted to “determine the extent to which the Secret Service’s CS is prepared to respond to threats at events attended by protectees.”
According to the report, the Secret Service’s counter sniper team is currently staffed at 73% below the level the agency needs to meet mission requirements.
The report stated, “Failure to appropriately staff CS could limit the Secret Service’s ability to properly protect our Nation’s most senior leaders, risking injury or assassination, and subsequent national-level harm to the country’s sense of safety and security.”
While the Secret Service’s counter sniper staffing is well below the level needed to meet its mission requirements, the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General’s report noted that the demand for counter snipers has increased over the past several years. According to the report, events supported by Secret Service counter snipers increased by 151% from 2020 to 2024. On the other hand, the report indicated that staffing levels increased by only 5% during the same years.
The Department of Homeland Security Inspector General’s report recommended that the Secret Service implement a plan to increase counter sniper staffing levels to meet various mission requirements. The report also recommended that the Secret Service implement a plan to ensure that counter sniper team members meet weapons qualifications.
In a statement to Fox News, the Secret Service confirmed that it was working to comply with the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General’s recommendations and explained that “significant progress has already been made towards recruitment of specialized teams and the retention of highly trained personnel, such as counter snipers.”
A Secret Service spokesperson told Fox News, “These efforts are designed to expand our capacity and strengthen the agency’s ability to ensure a sustainable, mission-focused workforce is always at the ready.”
